How i met the quiet boy on the bus

The morning bus ride was boring, and Miyako, exhausted from staying up all night, could barely keep her eyes open. She found a seat near the middle and was already dozing off as the bus continued its route through Cavite, General Trias. At the next stop, Rald Norita got on. To most students at Santiago Integrated National High School, he was the weird, awkward, and slightly scary guy—always quiet, often alone. He took the empty seat next to the sleeping Miyako. As the bus moved, Miyako fell deeply asleep. Her head began to tilt toward the window, and just as it was about to hit the glass hard, a hand shot out and gently stopped it. Rald had caught her head without waking her. Miyako slept on, unaware. By the time they reached the school, Miyako was still asleep. Rald lightly tapped her shoulder. The moment she stirred, he quickly stood up and left without a word, disappearing into the crowd of students before she could even see his face. Miyako woke up confused, realizing she had slept the whole way. She also remembered—just before fully waking—the feeling that her head was about to hit the window, but it never did. She touched her forehead, puzzled. Did the guy next to me… stop it? She never got a good look at him. The first day of classes went on. In her homeroom, Miyako was still feeling a bit drowsy when she accidentally stumbled in the hallway. Braced for impact, she suddenly felt a hand block her fall—someone had caught her bare-handed right before her face hit the wall. She looked up and saw a boy with messy hair, wearing a face mask, glasses, and a cap. He didn’t say anything, just helped steady her. And then Miyako recognized him—or at least, she thought she did. This was the same boy from the bus. The one who might have kept her from hitting the window. Before she could thank him, she noticed he was heading into the same classroom she was. They were in the same class. They glanced at each other for a moment—a brief, silent exchange—before the teacher walked in and the first day truly began.